Anakin stood before the arch door, smiled at us. "Well it's my turn. I will see you guys when I'm done."
We just smiled without saying anything back. The door whooshed open, then Anakin inhaled deeply and stepped inside. The door sealed behind him and then silence.
The dark room around Anakin shimmered. Then suddenly, he was in the Tatooine slave quarters rough walls, familiar smells. Dust. Heat. His heart clenched.
"Anakin?" a soft voice called.
He turned, and there she stood. Shmi Skywalker. Alive. Smiling gently. Tired, but safe. Anakin without thinking ran to her, arms outstretched.
As they were about to embraced each other, Shmi disappeared into sand. Then… the scene shattered.
"Mom.... Mom where are you?"
The he heard a voice. "Why did you leave me Ani?"
Anakin turned around, looking for where the voice could be coming from. "I didn't want to leave you mom."
As Anakin began to panic, he paused for a moment calming himself. "I know this was a trial, but it was nice to see my mother after so long. So thank you." Anakin then got on his knees into a meditative pose and closed his eyes.
While the world shifting around him from the dessert, to a lightning storm, to a world filled with lava and heat. Anakin was still and calm. Then everything stopped, the room was back to it dark atmosphere, and master Kuro was sitting right in front of him.
When Anakin opened his eye he noticed the older woman. "Hello who might you be?" Anakin asked.
"Hello youngling Skywalker. I am Jedi Master An'ya Kuro. The proctor of your trial." The older master said.
"Was that all my trial was to make me emotional, and see how I respond." Anakin asked.
"Honestly youngling Skywalker, I don't know why you are here? You have shown a long time ago you were ready to be a Padawan. So tell me why did you wait until the others in your class were ready?" Kuro said.
"I did it, because I wasn't ready." Anakin said. "Elaborate", Kuro said.
"I realized thanks to my friends, I am talented, but that can only take me so far. I need knowledge and the right mindset to use that knowledge. I still don't understand what that means completely, but Cain told me that. He has never steered me wrong, even if he acts like a old man sometimes."
"So you stayed a initiate because of youngling Cain?"
"Yes, and no. I stayed because I had more to learn and being with them help me to learn more then I ever did by myself. Cain is a good friend, probably my closest friend since I came to the temple. I know I can't always rely on him, but its thanks to him I feel like I can grow into the man Qui-Gon Jinn, believed I could be."
Kuro said nothing, she just listened to Anakin. "Very well youngling Skywalker. You may exit through the door. The arch door behind her glowed. "Did I pass?"
"You will find out soon." Anakin nodded, then stood and bowed to Kuro, he turned then left out of the room. When he came out into the bright light he had a bright smile on his face.
"See what did I tell you guy's."
In the hidden room, the Masters deliberated.
Windu stood still, his face unreadable.
Yoda leaned heavily on his cane. "Attachment he still has. But let go… one step, he did."
Fay whispered, "Not perfectly but he accepted it and found balance. He has felt true loss, and chosen love without possession."
Plo Koon nodded. "It seems like Skywalker has found a way to stay in balance. The Force has much more to reveal about the young boy."
Windu, after a pause, said, "He passed there is no doubt to that. I believe I am beginning to see to What Master Jinn saw in him."
Yoda closed his eyes. "Time for Cain it is.."